Psalm 34 Semantics

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	Prepositional phrase	Construct chain	Construct chain within a prepositional phrase	Phrase-level waw	Article and כֹּל
Diagram Shading
Definition	- A prepositional phrase consists of a preposition plus its object. The phrase usually modifies the clause or another constituent in the clause.	- A construct chain, also called a 'genitive phrase', is a grammatical encoding of the relationship 'A of B,' in which A is a phonologically modified noun (in the construct state), and B is a phonologically unmodified noun (the absolute state).	- Some construct chains occur within prepositional phrases	- A waw conjunction can join units of all sizes. Phrase level waw join units at the word or phrase level (i.e., below the level of the clause).	- Definite articles tell you something about the identifiability or inclusiveness about the word it is attached to - כֹּל is a quantifier that tells you about the scope of a word it is attached to

v. 1

v. 2

v. 3

v. 4

v. 5

v. 6

v. 7

v. 8

v. 9

v. 10

v. 11

v. 12

v. 13

v. 14

v. 15

v. 16

v. 17

v. 18

v. 19

vv. 20-21

v. 22

v. 23

Verbal Semantics

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	Tense	Aspect	Reference point movement	Modality
Definition	A situation's location in time	Internal temporal constituency of a situation as portrayed	Whether or not the expected reference point in the discourse is updated after the situation.	Distinguishing between indicative, volitional and other forms of modality, as determined by morphology; word order; particles; context
Options	Relative: a situation's location in time relative to a reference point Absolute: a situation's location in time relative to the moment of speech	Continuous Habitual/iterative Stative	Expected movement: usually perfective No expected movement: usually imperfective	indicative jussive imperative cohortative wish purpose/result past (conditional) possible probable interrogative
Symbol

For steps to determine relative tense and reference point movement click "Expand" to the right:

				Do we expect reference point to move?
After reference point (Posterior)
	Imperative	What next?	Posterior (relative future)	Yes	⇐
	Yiqtol	What next? What now?	Posterior (relative future Simultaneous (relative imperfective present)	Yes	⇐
	Weqatal			Yes	⇐
	Weyiqtol			No	⇍
	Wayyiqtol			No	⇍
At reference point (Simultaneous)
	Yiqtol	What now?	Simultaneous (relative imperfective present)	No	⇍
	Participle
	Weyiqtol
	Infinitive
Before reference point (Anterior)
	Qatal	What next? What now?	Anterior (relative past) Simultaneous (relative imperfect present)	Yes	⇐
	Wayyiqtol	What next? What now?		No	⇍

v. 1. "The constructions of the infinitive with a preposition... are almost always continued in the further course of the narrative by means of the finite verb" (GKC 114r).
v. 2. With the adverbials בְּכָל־עֵ֑ת ("at all times") and תָּ֝מִ֗יד ("continually" or "continuously") (cf. Prov. 5:19), the aspect of both situations is probably continuous in a hyperbolic sense (so BDB on תמיד). GNT: "I will always thank the LORD; I will never stop praising him."
v. 3. LXX: ἀκουσάτωσαν ... καὶ εὐφρανθήτωσαν (imperatives). Jerome: audiant ... et laetentur (subjunctives)
v. 5. This mini-narrative refers to past events named in the superscription (v. 1). The LXX (καὶ ἐπήκουσέν μου) and Jerome (et exaudivit me.) read the second qatal as a simple past tense (waw + qatal vs weqatal). It is not clear whether וענני should be analyzed as waw + qatal ("and he answered") or as weqatal ("and [as a result] he answered") (cf. JM 115). Kimhi claims that "when preceded by a verb in the Perfect the Waw with Perfect has merely copulative force, e.g., Isa. 41:4; Jer. 22:15" (section 21). Revell, however, by analyzing forms in which the distinction between weqatal and waw + qatal is phonologically encoded (i.e., 1cs and 2ms verbs), has shown that waw + qatal is used "in a rather restricted set of circumstances" (p. 279), i.e., (1) when the two verbs (qatal followed by waw + qatal) act as a semantic unit referring to the same action (e.g., Isa. 1:2), or (2) when the two verbs occur in synonymous or antithetical parallelism (e.g., Ezek. 17:24).
v. 6. On the vocalization of these two verbs (imperative vs qatal), see The Text of Ps. 34:6.
v. 7. The sequence of this mini-narrative is essentially the same as in v. 5: called out (=sought) --> heard (=answered) --> saved (=rescued).
v. 8. Most English translations rightly render these verbs with present tense verbs: "Encamps... and delivers" (NIV, ESV, KJV, cf. NET, GNT). The predicative active participle usually has a continuous meaning ("is encamping... and is delivering"), and wayyiqtol usually continues the semantics of the previous clause (cf. Peshitta which has a participle [ܡܦܨܐ]). The second verb, however, seems to have an iterative meaning ("he delivers") rather than a continuous meaning ("he is delivering") (cf. Jerome: circumdat [present)... et eruet [future]). If the second verb has an iterative meaning and continues the semantics of the first verb, then the first verb must have an iterative meaning as well. See also פדה in v. 23 and perhaps also שמר in v. 21. Cf. BHRG 20.3.3, which says that "the participle may refer to habitual events" and JM 121b who list some examples of the participle with "frequentive aspect." The author probably used the participle instead of yiqtol because a yiqtol would not have fit the acrostic
v. 11. The qatal verbs are probably past tense (cf. LXX: ἐπτώχευσαν καὶ ἐπείνασαν; Aquila and Quinta: ηπορηθησαν; Jerome: indiguerunt et esurierunt); the psalmist is reporting some past observation which has timeless implications (cf. Rogland 2013:24ff). "Lions have been reduced to starvation, but those who turn to the LORD shall not lack any good" (JPS1985) >> "Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing" (NLT; cf. NET, GNT, NGÜ, GNB).
v. 18. Most modern translations render the verbs in this verse as timeless (KJV, NIV, NLT, ESV, NET, GNT, CEV, JPS85, LUT, HFA, NGÜ, ELB, GNB, ZÜR), which might be a good functional equivalent. In Hebrew, however, the verbs are past tense forms (qatals), as the ancient translators recognized (LXX: ἐκέκραξαν ... εἰσήκουσεν ... ἐρρύσατο; Syriac: ܓܥܘ ... ܫܡܥ ... ܘܦܨܝ; Jerome: clamaverunt exaudivit liberavit). The sequence of past tense forms create a mini-narrative which has a proverbial character (cf. e.g., Prov. 11:2, 8). Proverbs are often past tense because they report some past experience or observation which has timeless implications (Rogland 2013:24ff). Alternatively, David may be referring to the specific deliverance referred to in the superscription (v. 1): when in Philistine territory, he and his men called out for help, and YHWH saved them (cf. vv. 5-6). The general proverbial character of the second half of the psalm (vv. 12-23) supports the former option.
v. 23. The predicative active participle usually encodes progressive-continuous semantics ("YHWH is redeeming"). The context, however, suggests an iterative interpretation: "YHWH redeems" (cf. KJV, ESV, NET, CEV, NEB). See notes on the participle in v. 8.